Salvaging apparatus for sunken ships



ct. 20, 1931. G. w. WINKLER 192528,694 l SALVAGING APPARATUS FOR SUNKEN SHIPS 2 SheetsSheet i Filed April' 7, 1951 ATTORNEYS INV TOR (Laorgye 267 zzkaw BY p Get. 20, 1931. G. w. WINKLER SALVAGING APPARATUS FOR SUNKEN SHIPS Filed April '7, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77 INVENTOR WITNESSES George 2U. @Ui/70H16?" BY www 7%? ATTORNEYS y tion resides in the method of and means for successively conveying the buoyant elements from the surface craft K to and emplacing and retaining them within the hold of the sunken vessel until a sufficient number have beenintroduced to the hull A to displace the quanity of water-necessary to permit the combined buoyancy of the elements 10 to float the sunken craft or vessel to the surface.

The apparatus for accomplishing theconveyance, introduction and release of the buoyy ant elements within the hull A of a sunken vessel includes an endless flexible cable rope or equivalent member 12 which is trained around a guide or sheave 13 mounted onthe surface vesselk K and which may be` hand driven or driven by power as illustrated, by a-prime mover L which is operatively connected with the sheave 13. kA second guide sheave or pulley 1A is designedrto be suitably mounted within the hold of the sunken e vessel, preferably adjacent the bottom of the l outwardly away from each other to provide i hull,V and the cable 12 carries at longitudinally spaced points suitable means 15 for attaching* the free ends of the elements 11 to the cable 12, which means is'releasable under predeterminedv pulling strain.

In order to provide means for supporting the guide sheave or pulley 14 within the hull of the sunken vessel and to admit the buoyant elements 10 to the hold thereof while preventing their escape therefrom, a device designated generally by the reference character M is employed, which is adapted to be ehi-- placed in the hatch of the sunken craftby divers. The device M is of tubular construction land is preferably made up of aplurality of pairs ofinner and outer longitudinally eX- tendingrails 16 and 17 which are connected to eachother by framing members 1S, in the present inst-ance disclosed as approximately square. The frames 18 are spaced longitudinally throughout the leng h of the device M and are interposed between the inner and outer longitudinal rails. Thepairs of rails 16 and 17 are spaced apart suiiicientlyclose to prevent passage of the buoyant element-s 1() therebetween, while adjacent the lower end of the deviceM certain of the rails 16 and 17 are emitted to afford outlets 19 through which the buoyant elements may escape. At the `upperend,'the rails 16 and 17 are-bent a flared or funnel shaped entrance mouth 20 with anoutwardly and reversely bent margin 21 of a size to engage with the uppermost deck B outside of the hatch I-I.V It is obvious that the device M may be secured .in position within the hull A in various ways, but for the purposes of illustration, the device is disclosed as provided with anchoring hooks'22v which-are adjustable in length by means of `turnbuclrles 23'. After the device M has been inserted as shown in Figures 1 and 5, the anchoring hooks 22 are engaged with one of the inner hatches, such as the hatch I, and the turnbuckles are adjusted to draw the rim 21 into engagement with thedeckto clamp the device M in place. The lowerm-ost port-ion of the device M below the outlets 19 supports a carriage 24 which is mounted for guided movement longitudinally and tensioned against movement by means of springs 25. The carriage 24cm-ries the guide sheave or pulley 14 and due to its yieldable mounting,

compensates for relative movement of the surface craft with respect to the sunken craft and prevents undue strain on the cable 12.

`Obviously, both leads of the cable 12 extend through the iared upper end of the device M downwardly to the guide sheave or pulley lll and the downwardly moving lead is trained through'an embracing member which, as illustrated, consists of a frame 27, in which are yieldably. mounted tensioned rollers 28 normally urged into engagement with di ametrically opposite sides of the downwardly moving lead of the cable 12. This arrange-v ment is such that ',he cable, the attaching devices 15 and the connecting elements 11 are freely movable between the rollers, while ,v

the buoyant elements 10 are precluded from passage therebetween so that a pulling strain exertedv on the .cable effects the release of the `attaching devices 15 and consequent release of the buoyant" elements at a point adjacent, ln order to: permit of they passage of the buoyant elements downward-` ly 't-hrough the device M to their point of. release and to prevent escape of the same back ythrough the device M after being re-v the outlets 19.

the buoyant elements therethrough and preventing their escape when released, they serve to defiect the buoyant elements outwardly through the opening 19. i

craft has been located, a surface craft lowers the device M downwardly to the sunken vessel and divers fare employed for emplacing and attaching the device M in themannerv In use and operation, after. the sunken Y stituting means for admitting the passage of illustrated and previously described. The,V

buoyant elements `10 are successively attached to one lead of the cable and during the downward movement of said elements with said lead of the cable, the elements funcv tion-to float said cable lead and maintain the cable in a taut conditionirrespective of the roll or pitch of the surface vessel. .'The buoyant elementsi'lialso; openateito pileveaitiiniem upwardlyfflniovling lead. Theghuoyant rele?E fof thel sunken craft rto theifsurifacei ,ltfi'sf ohviousfthauthe huoyantelementsfl@ as .they

are released deectechoutvuai"dlyftliiizougvh:

l the: outlet 119i oi: the 'devine 1y M,f 'loaty duel. ,tev theii'f buoyancy,y tothe vupperinesufposition` possible, heingpieventedhy. thefdexciceMand; theS gatesv BO trom4v escaping; VAnt-teni the;ship;`

hasybeenf salaageie isafppanentithat the de# vice.; may beriteinovecl and;tliehuegyantielefl ments recovered: :andi .nef-employed@ f i The finetliod; consists; in.: intnogducing the? hull ,off sunkenf cna'itya; requisite, num'loei of buoyantfelernents tol displacel a su'iciemtfk quantity of Water thereiiromito flo at: theicvesff sellftfo "thei'fsurlfacep Moreparticularlyythe- "sired.:

inethodt includes thetfstepsay oa arranging means in: :the hatchway ot 'ai sunleiiwcnaittito provide 'agpassageWay-hav-ingr an outlet;vnear.-J

toiandireleaslng theingwithlntheg hully ot ther sunken ship, vsaidsneans including anendless the' bot-tom; of Athe heldot the vessel which" a'dfinitszbuoyant-elements theretosbutprevents elements f successively: vfrom a surfacel u criait. cloWn'W andly i to andf ,throughitlie p assagevvayV thus provided.; then l"rielea.sing saidl; elements,y at the outlet and causingfthe'sanievtof heidi Verted through the;outletintothe-'hull until abs'ufficientfnuinherihave#heein emplaeed: with` in the` hull` to ilo at the; sunken craft to; :the: surface. v s i While there hasfbeen. illustrabedffaand der i scifihe'd a single andprefeifredf embodiment off the' invention no' limitation 'iseintende'dito'` the precise structural=details-as1it' istoi-be under-sto oel thfat variations-1- andainodic ations which properly fall `Within lthe scope;y of thel appended'claims ni'ayl-'be resorted` tozxwhende# "1Vhatf'isclaimedffis: f l; Vapparatusi-or sunkenacratt `including ai plurality "off .buoyantffeleinents,- ai device' einplaceable in thehatch of the sunken cra/'ft for v |`admitting saidE `elements theree through to the lhold foithel sunken craftzan'd for''preventing their escape; thereiro1n,; an endless cenveyorv extending"- froml fa surface i "f5 craft to the sunken 'craftl and through said;` de-l ments'therethroughftolthe `ho'ldof thesunken craft'1A and 'for 'preventingfther escape 'therek fnomg' anffencllessiconveyon to? which; sa-ida ,elef

ments: ane Vdetachably` f connected, ksaidI con,-v

'veyorf extending? from a. surfacecraft to.v the 3;. salvaging appanatusfoiisunkenicnagft s devicegeinpl'aceahle .in-fthe hatchiof the sunken;` clz'ait, hai/fing: means for the; ele-fv includinggfa. ,plurality of lhuoyant elements;l a: i

ments theretltnoughito the holdof` thefsunken( craftz andi' fon p neventing their,` escape therefrom-,s ani .endlessgconvey/or. tio,` :Which s ailf` vele-,y f

ments; ane' :detachee-bly connected, said y confv Veyor v entendlingf;from1 a `surf-ace craft'. to` 'the sunken craft andf'thnough saidv device f andi' means carried -sai d :device fon .releasii1g;tli e V elementse-romf the; conveyor vv'vithi'nthe holdi ot .fthesunlnanyr craft, saidf deyicecomprising a: tubulancageelikehody yand1neansi'or` vattache.v

img z .the i sanie- IWithinithe';y hold of 1 the i ,sunken ai. Ainl -afpp aratus for? raisingr y sunken ships including a'ipluralityfofibueyantgelements and? ments? trom .asurfacefffcraffu introducing them. f l' haul: cable e atendingv from s the sur-acecraftj l1;; 3i, thesunken shipandtrained aroundfguides j dispesed respectively onthe suntacecraft and Within! thehullfoffthe sunken ship, releasahle connections vbetween lsaidr' elements and the cable-andimeansf withinthefhull of thesunken ship cooperating .with the;louoyantelernentsitpy tionsV elilect:v the'fieleaseof ysaid releasahlefconnec- A l 5:: An apparatus Y for `raisingsunkenV14 i including a. plurality of. buoyant elements and means for: successively conveying said ele v disposeds'respectively onthesunfacec raftfand Within the hull offthey sunken' sh ipi ,ieleasable connections ;hetweenfsaid elements andthe ca-y yble, means-,Within the: hull otathefsunken-ship cooperating.:Y with vthe :huoyantvfelements to.. ef.-A f'ectal thevneleasc of: said releasable' connection and a 1 device :emplaceahle inI the .hatch kot' the Y sunlenshipi h auingemeans for i admitting? the sunken i ship and. for preuentngfthein escape therefrom.

f 6;- An: apparatus vfor yraising sufnkenfships I' including;aipluralityofhuoyantfelenients and meansr forV successi'vfelfy'` conveying; saidf' ele- A ments froinV awsurface craft, i'ntroducinggthem to.l aiidfreleasingjthem: Within the hull :ofrthef i ha-nll cable extending-strom the surfaceecratt tofthefsunken shipandtrainedaroundguides Z130 sunken shipVsaidxmeans includingjan endless disposed respectively n the' surface craft and within thehull of the sunken ship, releasablel connections between said elements and the ca'- ble, means within the hullof the sunken ship cooperating with the buoyant elements to effectthe release of said releasable connections and about the lower end of which the guideand release means are supported;

v''. A n apparatus for raising sunken ships including a plurality of buoyantelements and means for successively conveying said yele-k ments from a'surface craft, introducing them tof'and releasing them within thehull of the sunken ship, said meansincluding an endless haul ,cable` extending from the surface craft to the sunken ship and rtrained'around guides disposedv respectively on the surface craft andl within the hull of the sunken-ship, releasable connections between said elements and the cable, means withinthe hull ofthe sunken ship cooperating with the buoyant elements to :effect the release of'said releasable connec tions, a tubular cage emplace'ablewithin the within the cage` at the upper end of the outlet for Apermitting of the passage of the elements downwardly therethrough and preventing their upward movement therefrom. v

' f 8. In an apparatus for raising sunken ships, buoyant elements and mechanism for convey ing `the same rfrom a surface craft to, intro ducing thesame to andreleasing the same within the hull of the sunken ship, said mechanism'including a tubular cageemplaceable in the hatch of the sunken ship and having an outlet adjacent its lower endan endless haul cable extending rfrom thev surface craft to thek sunken ship and into said cage', a guide adjacent' the lower end of the cage around which said cable istrained, a 'guide on the surface craft around vwhich v'the cable is trained, releasable connections between the buoyant elements and the cable, means within the cage adj acent'the outlet to cooperate with the buoyant elementsV to release the same and means adjacent the upper end of said outlet for diverting the released elements 'from the cage through the outlet into the hull of the sunken ship.

9; A salvaging apparatus for'sunlren craft comprising in combination a plurality of buoyant elements and mechanism for successively conveying the same from ka surface craft to rand; forfcausing thereleas'e and retention of the same within the hull ofthe sunken craft including an endless conveyor trained around a guide on the surface craft and to which the buoyant elements are at` tached, a device emplaceable in the hatch of the sunken craftfor admitting the elements therethrough to thehold and for preventing their escape therefrom, a guide carried by said member around which the conveyor cable is trained and means carried by said device for releasing the elements from the conveyor to permit of theirventrance into vthe hull of the sunken craft.

10. A salvaging Vapparatus for sunken craft comprising'. in combination aY plurality of buoyant elements andmechanism for successively conveying the same from a surface craft to and for causing the release and retentionI of the same within the hull of the sunken craft including an endless conveyor trained around a guide on the surface craft and to which the buoyant elements are attached, a tubularmember insertable through and closing the hatch of the sunken craft and extending downwardly into the hold and having aside outlet adjacent its lower end, a guide forisai'dgconveyor cable mounted within said member below said sideoutlet and laround which guide, said cable is trained to convey the buoyant elements through said member into the hull of the sunken craft,

means :uljacenty the outlet for releasing the buoyant elements from the cable Vand means thereabove for :preventing the released elements from escaping through the member and for diverting the same'therefrom through the outlet into the hold. Y i

ll. A salvaging apparatus for sunken craft comprising in combination a plurality of buoyant elements and mechanism for successively conveying the same from a surfacejcraftto and for causing the release and retention .of the same within the hull of the sunken craft including a-tubular cage-like member insertablethrough and closing the hatch of the sunken craft around the member, said member extending downwardly into the hold ofthe sunken craft and having an outlet above its lowermost end, an endless conveyormeans to which the buoyant elements are attached, said conveyor means extending froma surface craft downwardly and through said member to a point `below they outlet, means for effecting the release of said elements adjacent said outlet and means in the said member immediately jabove the outlet for permitting of the passage of the elements downwardly through the member and for preventing'their reverse movement, and serving to deflect theelements when released through the outlet into the hold of the sunken vessel.

Y 12. A salvaging apparatus for sunken craft comprising in combination a plurality of buoyant elements and mechanism for successively conveying the same from a surface craft to and for causing the release and retention of the sameA within the hull of the sunken craft including an endless conveyor trained around a guide on the surfaoecraftand to which the* buoyant elements are attached, a device emplaceable in the hatch of thesunken 5 craft forvadmitting the elementstherethrough Y to the hold and for'preventing their escape l A :j I

therefrom, a guide carried by said member laround which theconv'eyor cable is trained and means Carried by saidzdevice for releasing 1 vthe elements from the conveyor to permit of their entrance,V into the hulllof the sunken eraf@ said guide being mounted in said inernf-H ber for tensioned relative longitudinal movement with respect thereto.

.Y GEORGEWWINKLERQf 

